Crossing the Rubicon – what it really takes to grow an economy

Economic growth is the government’s new mantra, but what exactly does it mean, and how exactly is it achieved? Who is going to pay for it? The government does not appear to have answers – at least, not ones that are credible and likely to create sustainable economic growth. Growth involves a more than simply announcing big projects: three new runways and nine new reservoirs and the largest theme park in Europe – the government’s aspiration is to announce 150 projects by the end of this Parliament. Despite Tony Blair’s description of politics as being “and/and”, the reality is that it’s “either/or” – there are always trade-offs to be made. This podcast explores what really lies being these announcements: the real choices and the trade-offs that need to be made, and what actually causes economic growth.